Extensible drop side for folding cribs and locking mechanism therefor



Oct. 11, 1960 2,955,298

A. R. RURKA EXTENSIBLE DROP SIDE FOR FOLDING CRIBS AND LOCKING MECHANISMTHEREFOR Filed Dec. 27, 1957 United States Patent .EXTENSIBLE DROP SIDEFOR FOLDING CRIBS AND LOCKING MECHANISM THEREFOR Alexander R. Rurka, 6N375 Andreen Lane, Itasca, Ill. Filed Dec. 27, 1957, Ser. No. 705,658 4Claims. (Cl. --100) the lowermost position of the extension to minimizeshock loading on the side locks for the panel as the extension isbrought down into fully telescoped position, the side locks formed andarranged to cam out upon excessive loading on the side panels. a

A different object of the invention is to devise a novel one piecelocking element which comprises a wire rod fashioned into a centerhandle from which extend pintle-- like rod portions toward the oppositeends of the side panel, said portions having ends bent inwardly toprovide latching bolts which are thrust sidewise by spring meansreacting between the side panel and the bolts and urged into detents inthe connecting rods which slidably secure the side panels to the ends ofthe bed.

A further object is to contour the ends of the locking rods so that theynot only provide the locking bolts but also guide lugs bent therefrom tolocate the locking'assembly and to position the springs and serve asretainers and guides for the locking assembly.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent fromthe specification and the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is ,a perspective view of a crib incorporating the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the crib;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially online 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the sidelock structure taken from the inner side thereof;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken essentially online 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally on the line 66of Figure 5.

Describing the invention in detail and having particular reference tothe drawings, there is shown a crib 2 comprising end panels 3, 3 andidentical side panels 4, 4 extending between and interconnecting the endpanels.

Each side panel comprises top and bottom generally .horizontal rails 6and 7 and interconnecting vertical struts or spindles 8. The rails 6 and7 are provided at each end with vertically registering apertures 9 and10 respectively which admit the securing, retaining and positioning rodThe lower rail 7 of each side carries a locking assembly 14 whichcomprises a one piece rod bent at its center portion to provide aU-shaped combination handle and lever 15 (Figure l) which comprises abottom handhold bight 16 and upstanding legs 17, the latter merging intohori- Zontal pivot portions 18 which fit into a groove 19 extendinglengthwise within the inner side of the bottom rail 7. The pivotportions extend to opposite ends of the'lower rails of the side paneland terminate in U-shaped end portions 20 which present an outwardlydirected bight 21 and a lower leg 22 which parallels the related portion18 and spaced therefrom therebeneath.

Portion 22 forms a latch element and extends transversely of the rod 11and with its side 23 is adapted to fit into notches 25, on the innerside 27 of the rod 11, each slot 25 defined by generally horizontal topand bottom edges 28, 29 and a vertical side 30 which extends chordwiseof the cylindrical rod 11.

The lower leg 22 projects a limited distance inwardly of the related endand merges into a positioning and retaining lug 31 which. is bentinwardly and extends transversely of the plane of the end portion into avertically elongated slot '32 in a retaining bracket 33, the slot 32having a width approximately corresponding to the diameter of thepositioning lug 31 for guided engagement therewith by the sides 34, 35.

It will be seen that as the handle is urged inwardly with attendantrotation of the locking assembly about the portions 18, the lug 31 ateach end swings upwardly and inwardly with coincidental compression ofsprings 36 sleeved over the lugs 31 and compressed between thelatchportion 22 and the vertical plate 37, in which slot 32 is provided, ofthe bracket 33.

The bracket 33 in addition to plate '37 which is oitset inwardly of thelower rail has a horizontal top and bottom flange 39 and 4t) extendingfrom the top and bottom 11 therethrough, the rod being hooked at 12 atits upper end and fastened to the adjacent end panel and at its lowerend projected through an opening 13 in a bracket 14' fastened to theadjacent end panel. Thus the sides and of plate 37, the flange 39merging into a vertical mounting flange 41 which overlaps the groove 19and engages the portion 1*8 as at 42 adjacent the respective end portionto hold the locking structure in assembly with the rail, flange 41 beingsecured as by screws 43 which pass through suitable openings in flange41 and thread into the wooden rail 7. The bottom flange 40 extends underthe latch portion to a point outwardly of the rod 11 and is providedwith an upturned lip 45 (Figure 5 which tightly abuts as at 46 at itsupper edge 47 against the bottom edge 48 of the bottom rail 7 to holdthe bracket with the screws securely in place. From a consideration ofFigure 6 it will be seen that the latch portion 22 tends to cam thesides into perpendicular relation with the ends in view of thetransverse force imposed thereon by the spring thereadjacent as theportion 22 rests on either edge .50 of the respective slot in rod 11.

In addition to each side panel being adjustable in entirety, there isalso provided an extender generally designated 51 which comprises a railmember 53 overlapping the top rail 6 of the side panel, said rail' 53terminating at the rods 11 and preferably having a concave curved bottom54 which complements the convex top 55 of rail 6.

Adjacent to each end of rail 53 there is secured thereto a vertical rodor pin 57 which passes through an aperture 58 in rail 6 and into avertical groove 59 in one of the struts 8 in vertical alignment with theaperture 58.

The rod 57 has a bottom end 60 which is adapted to sit on the upper end61 of a spring 62 which sits as at 63 on the closed lower end 64 of thegroove 59. The spring 62 is adapted to be compressed by the rod 57 uponthe rail 53 being positioned in its lowermost location on top of rail 6at which time the uppermost notch 65 on the rod 57 registers with adetent 66 which enters therein and holds the extender locked in itslowest position, the detent being formed as an inwardly projecting lugon the upper end of a latch 67 which comprises a vertically elongatedtransversely flexible spring arm 68 fastened as by screws 69 at itslower end 70 to the associated strut 8.

The arm 68 is provided at one side adjacent to its upper end with athumb handle 71 and also a limiting strap 72 which has a horizontallyelongated slot 73 loosely receiving a limiting screw 74 therethroughwhich is screwed into a side of the associated strut 8.

I claim:

1. In a crib having end panels and side panels and means slidablymounting said side panels from the end panels for vertical movement andcomprising rods connected to the end panels and extending throughvertical apertures in the side panels, means for locking the side panelsin a plurality of vertically displaced positions, and comprisinghorizontalnotches in said rods, a single locking element pivotallymounted on each side panel and including a wire fashioned to provide anintegral central handle and horizontal oppositely extending pivotportions, and terminating in U-shaped end portions extending beyondrespective rods and each including a horizontal inwardly extending latchadapted to extend sidewise into respective notches, an integral lug bentfrom the inner end of each latch transversely thereof, a bracket carriedon each side panel adjacent to each end thereof and having a portionopposing and spaced from the adjacent latch and having a verticallyelongated slot receiving the adjacent lug therein and spring meanssleeved over each lug and compressed between the respective latch andbracket portion biasing the latch into latching position.

2. In a crib having end members, upright guide rods spaced inwardly fromthe end members and having upper ends rigidly secured to the latter,drop sides with upper and lower rails apertured to receive the guiderods, and manually operable latch means swingably mounted on the lowerrail and comprising an elongated element projecting beyond the ends ofthe lower rails and having inwardly directed latching bolts extendingtransversely of the guide rod into notches therein in releasableinterlocking engagement therewith, and said latch means includingbrackets on the lower rail, and guide and mounting lugs projectingtransversely from the bolts through slots in said brackets, and springmeans sleeved over the .lugs and compressed between the brackets andbolts for urging the latter into latching relation with the guide rodsaid spring means disposed in direct abutting relationship to saidbolts.

3. A latch for a crib drop side comprising a one-piece rod including acenter handle and oppositely extending pintle sections havings 'inturnedend portions defining latching bolts spaced from the pintle sections anddisposed generally parallel thereto, and combination springpositioningand guide lugs bent from the free ends of the bolts and extendingsubstantially angularly to the plane of the bolts and pintle sections.

4. A one-piece latch for a crib drop side comprising a rod fashioned toprovide a handle and a pair of pintles extending oppositely from thehandle and terminating in U-shaped end portions each including aninwardly extending latching bolt spaced laterally from the pintle, and alug bent from the free end of each bolt and extending generally normalthereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS331,308 Liggett Dec. 1, 1885 889,526 James June .2, 1908 1,907,298 KrollMay 2, 1933 2,442,048 Kroll May 25, 1948 2,500,640 Lord Mar. 14, 19502,501,824 Levine Mar. 28, 1950 2,555,032 Hall May 29, 1951 2,804,631Levin Sept. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,478 Great Britain 19 10 164,195Great Britain June 9, 1921

